Importance of Vitamin D in COVID prevention
Importance of Vitamin D in COVID prevention
Vitamin D has been recommended by many experts as a preventive treatment for COVID-19 infection. Vitamin D is produced in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Staying indoors hinders the vitamin D level in the body. During COVID-19 surge, when everyone is suggested to stay indoors, it is very essential to check the vitamin D level in the body.
COVID-19 lockdown vs Vitamin D requirement
While there is no direct evidence on the effect of vitamin D in COVID-19 treatment, owing to its role in controlling inflammation it is being considered as a preventive treatment by experts. COVID-19 infection leads to myocarditis, microvascular thrombosis and/or cytokine storms all of which involve inflammation. The primary role of vitamin D is to boost the immunity and ease inflammation and this is probably why there are suggestions on increasing vitamin D intake to prevent COVID-19. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines.
Partly due to government orders and partly due to concern for their own health, people are preferring to stay indoors these days. While on one hand it is a blessing as community spread of the coronavirus is curbed to a certain extent, but on the other hand it can trigger a decline in Vitamin D level in the body.
What do experts say?
"Our opinion is that if vitamin D does in fact reduce the severity of COVID-19 with regard to pneumonia/ARDS, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines, and thrombosis, then supplements would offer a relatively easy option to decrease the impact of the pandemic," says a group of researchers at University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
"Low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines and a significantly increased risk of pneumonia and viral upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in thrombotic episodes, which are frequently observed in COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to occur more frequently in patients with obesity and diabetes. These conditions are reported to carry a higher mortality in COVID-19," the researchers also say.
As per the Harvard School of Public Health, in a study of the seasonal and pandemic flu caused by H1N1 virus in 2009 it was observed that vitamin D supplementation lowered the odds of developing acute respiratory tract infections by 12% to 75%. "The beneficial effect of supplementation was seen in patients across all ages, and individuals with pre-existing chronic illnesses. Among those who were infected, flu symptoms were fewer and recovery was earlier if they had received doses of vitamin D greater than 1000 IU. The benefits were relatively greater in individuals with vitamin D deficiency than in those who had adequate levels of vitamin D," the Harvard article says.
What should be the immediate response?
One should take expert suggestions regarding vitamin D supplements. Apart from this, one should expose the skin to sunlight for a few minutes every day. One should add food rich in vitamin D in their daily diet. Foods like fatty fish like salmon, cod liver oil, mushroom, cow milk, soya milk, and eggs are rich in vitamin D. It is usually seen that older individuals are always deficient in micronutrients. Supplementation is a necessity for people belonging to this age group.